0:00:06 > 0:00:08Hello. Welcome to Gardeners' World.
0:00:08 > 0:00:12The first thing I do when I go round the garden is go to
0:00:12 > 0:00:13the greenhouses and open them up.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15This time of year, of course,
0:00:15 > 0:00:17everything's changing practically overnight.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19We've got grapes coming,
0:00:19 > 0:00:22not ripe yet but certainly swelling out, tomatoes...
0:00:22 > 0:00:25Haven't picked my first one but that is going to be a matter of days.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28The chillies are coming through and this year,
0:00:28 > 0:00:31aubergines are doing well. This is a variety called Black Pearl.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34They are in the same family as tomatoes,
0:00:34 > 0:00:38so if you can grow a tomato you can effectively grow an aubergine.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41And a healthy plant can produce up to half a dozen
0:00:41 > 0:00:44really decent aubergines.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48And you know it's ripe when the skin is still really shining,
0:00:48 > 0:00:52it feels firm but has a little bit of give to it,
0:00:52 > 0:00:54it's not rock hard.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58And cut it off with plenty of stem, like that,
0:00:58 > 0:01:03and there you have a really good fruit which will be delicious.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06And that is a good way to start any day.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11Last month, Joe Swift visited the Savill Garden in Windsor Great Park
0:01:11 > 0:01:15to discover the inspiration behind the design
0:01:15 > 0:01:18of the very modern rose garden.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21I wanted to try and get people feeling as if they were in
0:01:21 > 0:01:22a meadow of roses.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25- A meadow of roses? - A meadow of roses.- A meadow...
0:01:25 > 0:01:27I've never heard of a meadow of roses before.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31- Quite cool idea, isn't it? - Yeah, it is a cool idea.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34And we also visited a flower farm in South Gloucestershire to meet
0:01:34 > 0:01:40a woman who is passionate about cultivating organic cut flowers.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42British cut flowers are spectacular.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46They smell, they have variety and from the seed-sowing
0:01:46 > 0:01:49to the end product is just an amazing process.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55And I shall be sowing turnips and swedes for winter as well as
0:01:55 > 0:01:58taking penstemon cuttings of the flower garden.
0:01:58 > 0:01:59Come on, dogs.
0:02:13 > 0:02:18It's just at this point in the year when the really rich colours
0:02:18 > 0:02:21here in the Jewel Garden start to dominate.
0:02:21 > 0:02:26You have the wonderful Crocosmia Lucifer, these intense dahlias like
0:02:26 > 0:02:31Arabian Night and the clematis, which have been fabulous this year.
0:02:31 > 0:02:32There's almost too many.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35They're spilling and toppling and falling in
0:02:35 > 0:02:37a great waterfall of flower.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39And some plants are a little bit more delicate.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43This is one of my favourite geraniums. This is Ann Folkard.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48And a few weeks ago I was saying cut back geraniums to get a second
0:02:48 > 0:02:52flowering, but not Ann Folkard because she starts to flower
0:02:52 > 0:02:56in June and just goes on and on right into autumn.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00And it's almost a climber - it sprawls and spreads and will
0:03:00 > 0:03:03lean on other plants without in any way suffocating them.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07Sown flowers work their way through them and the whole thing
0:03:07 > 0:03:10becomes a lovely tangle of colour.
0:03:10 > 0:03:15Not all plants, though, can sustain the same amount of flowering.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19The delphiniums have had their day and they're just setting seed.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23The thing to do is to cut them back hard and hope that we get
0:03:23 > 0:03:27a second flowering later on towards the beginning of autumn.
0:03:38 > 0:03:43Of course, this time of year, getting into the border is
0:03:43 > 0:03:47tip-toeing through a minefield of plants.
0:03:47 > 0:03:52Here's the delphinium, which is nearly all stem.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54So cut out right at the base.
0:04:03 > 0:04:08Now, as well as clearing out slightly fading plants
0:04:08 > 0:04:11and the seed heads, I'm also creating a bit of space.
0:04:11 > 0:04:16Now, this poor buddleia has got completely bullied out
0:04:16 > 0:04:19by a delphinium and if the banana hits its stride,
0:04:19 > 0:04:22if we get a little bit of warmth, that will double in size.
0:04:22 > 0:04:27And who'd have thought that you'd have roses growing entwined
0:04:27 > 0:04:28with bananas?
0:04:40 > 0:04:42Now, the Jewel Garden in particular,
0:04:42 > 0:04:46and in fact the whole of Longmeadow, is intended to be organised chaos.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49I want to create the impression that the whole thing is about to
0:04:49 > 0:04:54go berserk but is just holding still for a moment.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57But not all gardens are like that and in fact,
0:04:57 > 0:04:58we think of rose gardens,
0:04:58 > 0:05:01the old-fashioned, formal rose garden,
0:05:01 > 0:05:06as being regimented and weed-free and strictly organised.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08It doesn't have to be like that, though,
0:05:08 > 0:05:12and Joe has been to Savill Garden in Windsor Great Park
0:05:12 > 0:05:14to see roses grown in a very modern manner.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24The rose is the most iconic of flowers.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28It comes in a huge range of colours, different flower forms,
0:05:28 > 0:05:29and of course...
0:05:31 > 0:05:34It's got the most delicious of scents too.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36It's impossible not to love them.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45We've a rich tradition of planting roses with formality and
0:05:45 > 0:05:50precision in parterres and long mixed herbaceous borders.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53But as a garden designer, what really intrigues me is,
0:05:53 > 0:05:56can a rose garden be reimagined?
0:06:01 > 0:06:04Here in the Savill Garden of Windsor Great Park,
0:06:04 > 0:06:07a modern rose garden designed by Andrew Wilson
0:06:07 > 0:06:10has been winning lots of design accolades since its official
0:06:10 > 0:06:13opening by the Queen in 2010.
0:06:13 > 0:06:18Well, Andrew, this is certainly a very contemporary rose garden
0:06:18 > 0:06:21and the scent is overwhelming.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25I'd always wanted to get my hands on a rose garden because most of
0:06:25 > 0:06:28the rose gardens I go to are just horrible.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30Oh, no, say what you think!
0:06:30 > 0:06:33I also think, you know, what's the best bit about them?
0:06:33 > 0:06:35The flowers and the perfume,
0:06:35 > 0:06:39and so we set about trying to emphasise those two main elements.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42A traditional rose garden you expect to be very geometric and
0:06:42 > 0:06:47very linear, somehow, and you've totally thrown that out the window.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49We wanted it to feel like a dance, really,
0:06:49 > 0:06:52that you came in and you were walking through these different
0:06:52 > 0:06:56crescents and sweeps, and so you get different colour combinations.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58It makes the whole thing much more dynamic.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01I wanted to try and get people feeling as if they were in
0:07:01 > 0:07:04- a meadow of roses. - A meadow of roses?
0:07:04 > 0:07:05A meadow of roses.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08I've never heard of a meadow of roses before.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11- It's quite a cool idea, isn't it? - Yeah, it is a cool idea.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18What strikes me is that on plan, the design really...
0:07:18 > 0:07:22It is like this vortex vision, the strong colours and then
0:07:22 > 0:07:25fading out to the yellows and the paler whites.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29But when you're in it, actually, it looks and feels very different.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33The separation of the arcs, or crescents,
0:07:33 > 0:07:38by pathways, brings air and light in between the different layers
0:07:38 > 0:07:41and so you're getting this sense of separation rather than just
0:07:41 > 0:07:44- a sort of blancmange of everything mixing together.- Yeah.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46But when you walk up onto the pathway,
0:07:46 > 0:07:49you return to this sort of aerial view and you're starting to
0:07:49 > 0:07:53get the sense of how the plan form works.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57We wanted people to have a conversation,
0:07:57 > 0:07:59that somebody might have taken the route down,
0:07:59 > 0:08:02somebody else might have taken the route up,
0:08:02 > 0:08:06and then you're comparing notes or maybe you're drawn then to go up.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09And the idea was to maybe create a space where people drink in
0:08:09 > 0:08:12the perfume, look back across where they've been...
0:08:12 > 0:08:15- Take a photo of each other. - Take a photo, have a chat.- Yeah.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18Sometimes you'll get people singing My Heart Will Go On from the end
0:08:18 > 0:08:21of the walkway and I just think that's great, you know.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30Now, Andrew has applied some really good garden design principles
0:08:30 > 0:08:33in this garden, especially when it comes to the planting.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36I know how tempting it is to put one of everything in a border,
0:08:36 > 0:08:39but here he's shown to get a contemporary feel
0:08:39 > 0:08:42in a space you have to plant boldly and in quantity.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46And when it comes to plant selection, with roses,
0:08:46 > 0:08:49there are so many different varieties out there.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53Think about what you want and what you want it to do for you.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55Here we've got Claire Austin.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58It's got a wonderful scent, it's repeat flowering,
0:08:58 > 0:09:00it's got a gorgeous flower
0:09:00 > 0:09:05and incredibly lush, green foliage. A really great plant.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07Now, as well as roses,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10the only two plants in this garden are the ewe hedges,
0:09:10 > 0:09:14which create structure and also a view in and out because
0:09:14 > 0:09:17they've got gaps in them, and some ornamental grasses.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20And you think, wow, ornamental grasses and roses -
0:09:20 > 0:09:25that's a strange plant association. But actually, it works really well.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28So we've got these spokes of melinia that lead you out.
0:09:28 > 0:09:33And of course they'll flower, they'll bring wonderful autumn hues
0:09:33 > 0:09:35to the garden and extend the interest
0:09:35 > 0:09:38right through into the winter.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41But just like the roses, they've been planted boldly,
0:09:41 > 0:09:43they've been planted with conviction,
0:09:43 > 0:09:45and that's why they work so well.
0:09:53 > 0:09:58This is a rose experience and that's what Andrew as a designer
0:09:58 > 0:10:03set out to do, and I think he's achieved it wholeheartedly.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18I have to say, I like roses however they come, whether individually,
0:10:18 > 0:10:22in a great meadow, sprawling, poised -
0:10:22 > 0:10:23can't have enough of them.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27But I've never been to Savill Garden and I want to and so should you.
0:10:27 > 0:10:28Go and see it for yourself.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32It's open every day and you can get all the details from our website.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43I think it's been a good year, generally, in the vegetable garden,
0:10:43 > 0:10:48but with one or two exceptions, and carrots are definitely one of them.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51This - tada! - is my carrot bed.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54Last year had very good carrots.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57This year, as you can see, very, very poor results,
0:10:57 > 0:10:59mainly through bad germination.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03I think that is because we had such a cold April
0:11:03 > 0:11:05and I sowed them a bit too early.
0:11:05 > 0:11:06And so what I suggest you do if you've got
0:11:06 > 0:11:09a bad crop like this is use the space for something else.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12In fact, I can pull these up and just see how they are.
0:11:14 > 0:11:15Very small.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20Still got that lovely carroty smell, though.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27So I'll cut my losses and next year, resist the temptation to sow
0:11:27 > 0:11:31my carrots too early and wait till mid May or even in till June.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34However, now is a really good time to sow
0:11:34 > 0:11:36a very different kind of root crop.
0:11:41 > 0:11:47This bed had chard in it over all last winter and this summer,
0:11:47 > 0:11:50but was bolting and going to seed at every opportunity.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54So I pulled it up, added a little bit of compost,
0:11:54 > 0:11:55and it's ready to go.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59What I wanted to sow in here are some turnip and kohlrabi.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03These are members of the brassica family.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06They are close cousins to cabbages
0:12:06 > 0:12:09and cauliflowers and need to be part of the same rotation.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11So they are ideal, for example,
0:12:11 > 0:12:15to follow legumes such as beans or peas.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19And kohlrabi, the first one, is essentially an autumn crop.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21You can get green kohlrabi,
0:12:21 > 0:12:25which is sown in spring for a spring and summer harvest,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28and purple kohlrabi, which is a little bit hardier,
0:12:28 > 0:12:30which is a good idea to sow now.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33You will be harvesting this in September, October
0:12:33 > 0:12:37and perhaps even up to Christmas if it's not too cold.
0:12:37 > 0:12:42Kohlrabi are a slightly unusual vegetable because the bit you eat
0:12:42 > 0:12:47is actually above ground and unlike swede or turnip,
0:12:47 > 0:12:50you eat them raw and they're crispy and fresh.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52So in fact, in many ways,
0:12:52 > 0:12:55they're more like a radish than a conventional root crop.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58Very simple.
0:12:59 > 0:13:04Make a drill and as always, sow thinly.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07And so just sprinkle them along.
0:13:07 > 0:13:12Now, this is a crop that are much better sown direct.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17No need to sow them in seed trays and prick them out,
0:13:17 > 0:13:19get them in the soil where they are to grow.
0:13:32 > 0:13:33Cover that over like that.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43Now, for the next root vegetable, I don't need to worry about
0:13:43 > 0:13:47hardiness because it's turnip, and I love turnips.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52Grown certainly no bigger than a tennis ball and actually
0:13:52 > 0:13:54a really nice golf ball size,
0:13:54 > 0:13:57and they have a slightly bitter side to them.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59They're rather like chicory.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03So they're cooked and then glazed with butter and brown sugar.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06Really, really delicious and perhaps undervalued.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13One of the problems that you do get with turnips,
0:14:13 > 0:14:17as you do with rocket and radish, is flea beetle.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21The beetle punches a hole in the leaf and then the leaf reacts
0:14:21 > 0:14:23by forming a callus around the hole,
0:14:23 > 0:14:25and you can have as many as 10 or 20 holes on each leaf.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29I'm afraid there isn't much you can do about it, but what you can do is
0:14:29 > 0:14:32water them well, thin them so the plants are healthy and strong,
0:14:32 > 0:14:35and keep them weeded.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38If you have a strong plant, that's the best defence.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50I've still got some swede seeds to sow, but I think I'll put
0:14:50 > 0:14:54those where the carrots failed so spectacularly.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56I'll prepare the ground and then sow those later.
0:14:56 > 0:15:01That'll give me three good new root crops - the kohlrabi, ready about
0:15:01 > 0:15:03September-October,
0:15:03 > 0:15:07the turnips from about October through till February, and
0:15:07 > 0:15:12then the swede, which is really hardy, through till next spring.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15I don't need to water these seeds in because it's been showery,
0:15:15 > 0:15:18it looks like it's going to shower again today,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21and the soil is good and moist.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24If it's very dry when you sow them, give them a good soak,
0:15:24 > 0:15:30and if we get a hot, dry spell, then they will need watering once a week.
0:15:30 > 0:15:35But on the whole, these are tough plants and will grow well without
0:15:35 > 0:15:40much attendance at all other than, of course, keeping them well weeded.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44Oh, that's a nice little bonus. Come on.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50Come on. Come on, Nigel.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53Where's your bone?
0:15:57 > 0:16:03The planting on the mound is mainly focused on fragrance and
0:16:03 > 0:16:06there's no plant with such an evocative scent,
0:16:06 > 0:16:09or even such a strong one, as the lily.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13This is the Regal lily and it's absolutely at its best now.
0:16:13 > 0:16:18These were planted as bulbs in spring but most people buy
0:16:18 > 0:16:22lilies as cut flowers, and the vast majority of our cut flowers
0:16:22 > 0:16:25are actually imported and come from overseas.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28However, we went to South Gloucestershire to visit
0:16:28 > 0:16:31a cut flower grower who not only produces
0:16:31 > 0:16:35a wide range of flowers but also does so organically.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42We've got just under four acres here.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47We grow British cut flowers organically.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53Perennials, bulbs, biennials and annuals.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56It gives us a good spread and a good buffer zone in case any
0:16:56 > 0:16:58species fail.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02At the moment, we're only providing 10% of the cut flower
0:17:02 > 0:17:07industry from within Britain, so there's 90% that we're importing.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11So we've got a massive opportunity as British growers to take
0:17:11 > 0:17:13a bit of that market share back.
0:17:15 > 0:17:16When we lay out our planting areas,
0:17:16 > 0:17:20we do it in a bed system and we like to do a rotation.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23Rotation is an essential part of making sure you're not
0:17:23 > 0:17:26building up soil-born pests and diseases and it's particularly
0:17:26 > 0:17:31important in organic horticulture because we don't use pesticides.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33We believe in, if you're growing really good,
0:17:33 > 0:17:36strong plants and you've got good soil,
0:17:36 > 0:17:38they will cope with a certain amount of pests and disease.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41And it's all about keeping that balance. If you don't have
0:17:41 > 0:17:44any pests, you don't also get the beneficial insects.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48So it's about a holistic system, really.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50Our key slug removers are chickens - that helps
0:17:50 > 0:17:53a lot - and the wood chip is quite dry,
0:17:53 > 0:17:56all the wood chip around our beds, and that really helps, as well.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02We are also a training workplace for people with disabilities and
0:18:02 > 0:18:03support needs.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07From people with autism, Asperger's, people with Down's syndrome,
0:18:07 > 0:18:12people with bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety - a big range.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15And the people who come here, they're not united by their
0:18:15 > 0:18:19disability, it's actually the horticulture that unites them.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24I came here when I wasn't very well.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27Luckily, I've got a lot better and the people, you know,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30they're really fantastic people cos quite a lot of them have been
0:18:30 > 0:18:33through similar things, so we talk through it and that sort of thing.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36It is therapy, really, and then...
0:18:36 > 0:18:38And the gardening's very therapeutic, you know?
0:18:38 > 0:18:42You definitely get a buzz when you see things starting to grow
0:18:42 > 0:18:45that you've planted. I don't ever not want to come to work. I love it.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50The actual stages of growing cut flowers are very accessible
0:18:50 > 0:18:52to the people we work with here.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56Somebody with autism or Asperger's syndrome is excellent at seed
0:18:56 > 0:19:00sewing. They are very careful and quality is important for us.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02Alex works with us three days a week.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06He was a trainee here originally and he does seed sewing almost
0:19:06 > 0:19:08every day and keeps all our continuity up.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10So he's continually sewing things
0:19:10 > 0:19:12like cornflowers, nigella, larkspur...
0:19:12 > 0:19:14So as they go over in the field,
0:19:14 > 0:19:17we've got another lot of plants to replace them.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25So in order to ensure that you've got a good stem length and
0:19:25 > 0:19:27a good vase life,
0:19:27 > 0:19:29it all depends upon the variety you've sewn in the first place.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32And it's really important that if you're buying cut flower seed,
0:19:32 > 0:19:34you look at the height.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38But you need at least 45cm stem length to be able to cut it.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45We normally cut the flowers first thing in the morning when it's cool.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49So we have to find the flower that we want to cut and follow the
0:19:49 > 0:19:53stem right down, and then we gently cut on a joint cos that
0:19:53 > 0:19:58plant will regenerate from that joint and produce another flower.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10I'm stripping the flowers down,
0:20:10 > 0:20:14taking all the foliage off below the water line because the foliage
0:20:14 > 0:20:19in the water will cause bacteria and that reduces the vase life.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Most of them are probably about five to seven days, so it's quite good.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28There's a lot of interest now in people having their own
0:20:28 > 0:20:29cutting patches.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32I think people are wanting to grow their own and it's moved from
0:20:32 > 0:20:34vegetable growing to flower growing.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37People get worried that they haven't got enough space,
0:20:37 > 0:20:40but, actually, with the right varieties, you can have, you
0:20:40 > 0:20:45know, a good jug of flowers in your house all through the summer months.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49You need to have probably five different species at one time,
0:20:49 > 0:20:51but of different flower shapes.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55You need some prominent flowers like a zinnia with some Veronica
0:20:55 > 0:20:59spike or some gypsophila that adds a little bit of filler.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02And then you want a couple of foliages, as well.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05It could be the Moluccella, the Bells of Ireland, the Nicotiana,
0:21:05 > 0:21:10the Lime Green, but you need to have them flowering at the same
0:21:10 > 0:21:14time for it to work, or you've got a fairly scant vase, really.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19There is something extra about growing cut flowers.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23From the seed-sewing to the end product is just an amazing process.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36It's absolutely right that you don't need a huge space to grow
0:21:36 > 0:21:41a lot of cut flowers. Now, I'm developing the cut flower beds here.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45I've got gladioli, which are just about to come out.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47These nigella, white, spidery flowers,
0:21:47 > 0:21:49and the buds are just poised.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52A little bit of heat and boof - they'll go.
0:21:52 > 0:21:55Ammi, this is Ammi visnaga, which is slightly more domed-headed.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57That is going strong and will continue to flower for
0:21:57 > 0:21:59another six weeks.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02And tobacco plants, of course, really beginning to kick in.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04But this will all look much better in a few weeks'
0:22:04 > 0:22:08time and we can really start to harvest it.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11I have actually prepared another bed where I want to extend the
0:22:11 > 0:22:13range of cut flowers that we've got here.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20I cleared the last batch of vegetables, in fact,
0:22:20 > 0:22:23it was mainly parsley we had on here, the other day.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25So this is now for cut flowers.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29It's a slightly awkward time of year for new planting.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32It's a little early to sow hardy annuals for next year,
0:22:32 > 0:22:37certainly too early to put in spring bulbs, but I want to begin
0:22:37 > 0:22:42this bed with some perennials, so they will live here permanently.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45I'm going to start that process with some cuttings.
0:22:56 > 0:22:57Oh, go on.
0:23:01 > 0:23:07To take cuttings from any plant, you need really good, fresh,
0:23:07 > 0:23:10healthy growth that doesn't have a flower bud.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12I've got two penstemons here.
0:23:12 > 0:23:17This is Raven. Lovely, rich, purple plum colour.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21And you can see that's a flowering stem and this one has got
0:23:21 > 0:23:25a bud on it. So these stems are no good for cuttings.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28But if you take a plant like that,
0:23:28 > 0:23:32which doesn't look as promising, it's perfect for taking
0:23:32 > 0:23:37cuttings because all these stems are nice and strong and fresh.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39They're new but they've hardened off a bit,
0:23:39 > 0:23:44so we talk about semi-ripe cuttings, and they will be perfect material.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48When you're taking penstemon cuttings, and penstemons really
0:23:48 > 0:23:52are quite easy, you want, really, about two to three inches long.
0:23:52 > 0:23:57So I'm cutting just above a pair of flower buds.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59One...
0:23:59 > 0:24:01two...
0:24:01 > 0:24:03And that's a nice straight one.
0:24:03 > 0:24:04..three.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06You need a sharp knife.
0:24:06 > 0:24:10First thing to do is to cut off the lower leaves,
0:24:10 > 0:24:14and, in fact, the next set of leaves, like that.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24I've got a cutting mix which has got really good drainage.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26It's a mixture, actually,
0:24:26 > 0:24:31of coir, leaf mould and plenty of grit.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35Now, these are a little long so I'm going to cut them down.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39I'm going to cut them just below the node there.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42And that can go in around the edge.
0:24:42 > 0:24:47I've taken hundred of penstemon cuttings and they take very well.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51They're a good one to start with if you've never taken cuttings before.
0:24:51 > 0:24:56And the reason why you put them against the edge of the pot
0:24:56 > 0:24:59is because they dry out a little less quickly.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03Now, actually,
0:25:03 > 0:25:06there's probably a little bit too much foliage on that
0:25:06 > 0:25:10because, of course, the cutting will transpire and if there are
0:25:10 > 0:25:13no roots to feed back into it, it will just gradually lose
0:25:13 > 0:25:15moisture, wilt, and die.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18We need some foliage, but not too much,
0:25:18 > 0:25:22and one way of doing it is just halve a larger leaf like that.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25That now will be fine.
0:25:25 > 0:25:29That one will go in the middle and I'm actually going to just take
0:25:29 > 0:25:31these back a bit.
0:25:36 > 0:25:41Next thing to do is to place this somewhere warm, but not in
0:25:41 > 0:25:44blistering sunshine, and keep it moist but not sodden,
0:25:44 > 0:25:45and you can do that a number of ways.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47Obviously, water it,
0:25:47 > 0:25:50but then you need to either mist it two or three times a day with
0:25:50 > 0:25:51a hand mister, which is very effective,
0:25:51 > 0:25:54or you could put it in a propagator which has got a closed lid
0:25:54 > 0:25:56and that keeps the condensation in,
0:25:56 > 0:25:59or if you're very fancy, you can have a mist propagator.
0:25:59 > 0:26:04But this time of year, these will take very quickly.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19A very good reason to take penstemon cuttings in particular is
0:26:19 > 0:26:23that here at Longmeadow, with our wet, heavy soil,
0:26:23 > 0:26:26they don't over-winter well, so by taking cuttings,
0:26:26 > 0:26:30I'm ensuring new plants exactly like the parent,
0:26:30 > 0:26:34and that just keeps the supply, whatever the weather.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37Right, that's one job done. Now it's your turn.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39Here's some jobs for the weekend.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46Tomato plants are growing strongly and forming fruit, and to help
0:26:46 > 0:26:50them ripen, it's a good idea to start to remove leaves.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52Begin this process at the bottom,
0:26:52 > 0:26:56taking off all foliage up to the first unripe truss.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04Most potting composts have limited nutrients and a large container
0:27:04 > 0:27:08packed with plants will have exhausted them by this time of year.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11So as well as watering regularly,
0:27:11 > 0:27:16it's also important to feed them with a high-potash fertiliser.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20Tomato feed, liquid seaweed or home-made comfrey is ideal.
0:27:21 > 0:27:26At Longmeadow we do this once a week on a Friday - Feeding Friday.
0:27:29 > 0:27:33Now that my morello cherries have finished fruiting, it's time
0:27:33 > 0:27:37to prune and train them, and this applies to any fan-trained fruit.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42Tie in any new shoots that you want to keep as part of the
0:27:42 > 0:27:45structure and then remove everything else, especially those shoots
0:27:45 > 0:27:50growing outwards, and cut them right back to a pair of leaves.
0:27:50 > 0:27:56What you should be left with is a neat, clean outline of a fan.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07A plant that I really look forward to
0:28:07 > 0:28:09at this time of year is the Ligularia przewalskii.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12It's difficult to pronounce and almost impossible to spell
0:28:12 > 0:28:16but very, very easy to appreciate and enjoy.
0:28:16 > 0:28:21You've got these yellow spires of flower on black stems and it
0:28:21 > 0:28:25shines out of the shadows. Now, the shadows are important.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28Give it some shade and nice wet feet - it will grow in bog if need be
0:28:28 > 0:28:30- and it loves it.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32Well, that's it for today.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35I'll see you back here at Longmeadow at the same time next week,
0:28:35 > 0:28:388:30pm on Wednesday on BBC Two.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40Till then, bye-bye.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44You've got the seat. Where am I going to sit?